The Irish standard., 1887-08-13
INDIA WANTS HOME RULE.
It is Now in Unmistakable and Grow
ing Demand Among the People
of that Oppressed Group
0F BRITISH DEPENDENCIES
The Second Indian National Convention
Emphatic Utteranoes Of Dis
tinguished Hindus.

tinguished Hindus.
| a. movement that contains within it,
| self, in the opinion Of the Dublin Ma
| tion, the elements Of the most extensive
possibilities, as regards the rearrange-
! ment of the methods by which the great
Indian dependency Of England has been
heretofore governed, was initiated IN
Calcutta in 1855 by the assemblage OF a
congress processing 10 voice the wants
Of the hundreds of millions that make
up the native population Of India. That
congress was, however, but an expert
ment. and exhibited several defects
| which are inseparable from first at
tempts. Tt was the first time that IN
effort had been made to organize and
focus public opinion in India, and after
all due consideration has been given to
the objections that have been made
against that attempt, it must be pro
nounced to have been a great and sig,
nal success. 1t ould be truly said OF
it, as of all similar attempts to bring to-
gether for the first time representatives
of opinions widely entertained, that the
persons assembled, not having been
formally elected, had no right to speak
on behalf Of any people but themselves
The difficulty that met the organizers
of the Indian congress of 1866 is one OF
the same kind that has been expert
enced by everybody who has been en-
gagged in taking initiatory steps towards
establishing any organization. In the
case of the Indian congress the magni-
tude of the difficulty was in proportion
to the enormous mum Der of those whose
| views were to find representation and
expression in the assembly. The primal
duty Of the organizers was to bring to-
gether in public conference the leading
men of the country, who might be con-
sidered as sharing the views aud pos
sessing the confidence OF tEeii country
men. On q body SO convened it would
devolve to make arrangements for the
more formal and authoritative election
Of members TO subsequent conventions,
The 'S5 convention dealt with several
political matters OF the greatest import
ance as regards the efficient administra-
ton OF Indian affairs; but it was in the
third resolution that the kevnote was
struck that has since found sympathetic
echo in millions of Hindoo homes, and
that appears likely to produce the most
far-reaching results. The third resolu-
tt n passed On that occasion was: 't,That
this congress considers the reform and
expansion Of the supreme and existing
local legislative councils, by the admis-
sion Of a considerable proportion Of
elected members land the creation Of
similar councils for them w. provinces
and Oudh, and also for the Puujaub)
essential; and holds that all budgets
should be referred to these couD ellis for
consideration, their members being
moreover empowered to interpel]ate the
executive in regard to all branches of
the administration and that standing
committee of the House Of Commons
should be constituted to receive and
consider any formal protests that may
be recorded by majorities Of such coun-
ellis against the exercise by the execu-
tive of the power which would be vested
in it. of overruling the decisions of such
majorities." The demand expressed in
the foregoing resolution was the first
organized expression OF desire On be-
half of the Indian population for q
share in the government Of their coun-
try, and it was the view which it en-
bodied that has since been so warmly
indorsed by the native inhabitants of
India. The movement when first start
ed was sneered at by the enemies of
popular liberty, who professed to see in
the composition Of the conference moth
ing to warrant the authoritative tone
adopted in the resolution. The men,
bers were denounced as political mall
contents and public frebrands who
sought to excite disaffection and dis
content amongst people who we're
thoroughly satisfied with things as they
were The critics who TINS endeav-
ored to make little of the proceedings
of the '85 conference, and to discount
the weight and Importance to be at
tached to it, must have been very
disagreeably surprised by what has
since occurred. The vital spark of
freedom that was then ignited spread
amongst the native races with the ra-
pidity of fire in the summer heather, un-
til the confagration has now attained
such dimensions that an accidental
blast either Of favoring sympathy from
influential quarters or of unwise resist
ance from the governing powers might
set all India in blaze. The second In
dian national congress was held in Cal
cutta on the four last days of the year
1886, and was altogether free from the